Maureen Roxbury (Kimsey / Davis) Maureen's Cancer Journey

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In case you don't know the story...here it goes.

I have had abdominal pain for several years, debilitating, not just cramps; including what felt like back labor (for those of you women out there who have had the "pleasure" of back labor - thank you Marshall Roxbury - LOL, you know what I'm talking about)!  I have gone to the doctor for this on several occasions (more than 10) only to be diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and dismissed.  As I have aged, I have started experiencing other issues like swelling in my ankles, hot flushing of my face, severe night sweats, and other bathroom issues you may not want to know about - LOL!  Those were all attributed to menopause.

I had an arsenal of medications from all my previous Dr. appointments (muscle relaxers, anti-cramping, anti-nausea medications, etc.) that would make me drowsy.  So, whenever I would have a pain episode, I would breath through it as best I could, get home from work, etc. and take some of my old medications and hope to sleep through the pain.  HOWEVER, this wasn't working as well as of late and I started getting really nauseated and super tired too.  I wasn't my usual go-go self and I was having more difficulty bending over and thought I was just gaining weight and out of shape because at this time last year I was training for a half marathon and preparing for a wedding and this year I just didn't feel like I could muster the strength for anything.  I was so worn out that it was increasingly more difficult to get out of bed in the morning and I constantly felt like I had the flu so I was taking a LOT of flu medicine too.

On February 17th I had another abdominal pain episode, this time I was at work and could NOT concentrate through the pain and nausea.  Told my co-workers I had to get home.  When I got home I called the Dr. who had just performed a colonoscopy on me the previous week to ask if this could possibly be a flare up of diverticulitis (I was diagnosed with diverticulosis during the colonoscopy, was hoping there was infection (diverticulitis) and that was what was causing my pain and it would be handled with a heavy antibiotic)...he didn't think that was it but did reiterate it would take a CT scan with contrast to detect it.  I decided I was done having this pain and called John to pick me up and take me to the ER (I had taken my pill concoction and it was not helping the pain at all)...  Once we got to the ER the doctor proceeded to state that 9 times out of 10 people without OBVIOUS issues (bleeding, heart attack, etc.) are normally sent home and told to follow-up with their primary care physician.  He ordered blood work and started me on an IV with some pain medications that didn't do a thing for my pain...so, I lay there for over an hour waiting on results writhing in pain.  The doctor comes back in to report everything looked fine and...like he said, 9 times out of 10 people have to go follow-up with their primary health physician to which I said "I want a CT scan with contrast" as I stated when I first got there (along with my whole diverticulosis/itis story)!!!  He said, okay, we'll order the contrast and then had the nurse give me dilaudid - WOW - that took all the pain away! 

3 hours later, I had drank the contrast, had the CT scan and the CT scan results were ready.  The doctor came in looking white as a ghost and proceeded to state...I'm really sorry to tell you that you are actually the 1 in 10 people...you have a mesenteric mass with metastasis to your liver, do you have any questions (BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA)!!!  He said he was admitting me to the hospital and the hospitalist will determine if I need surgery right away but will consult with an oncologist.  I couldn't eat or drink in case I needed surgery which could be in Richland or Seattle.  Do I have questions - LOL!  HA!

Now, 2 months later, I have done a lot of research on my rare cancer and am scheduled for surgery on April 27th at OHSU.